Ideas for extension speaker cabinets

[jazzfreak]

I have a Henriksen Jazz Amp 110 and am considering choices for an extension cab, other than the one offered by Henriksen. Even considering having one made. Question: What do folks believe would be a good speaker combination? Another 10 inch? A 12 inch? A 15"?

[docbop]

I'm assuming you want a powered cab, Acoustic Image has some nice one, but very clean sounding.

Have you considered the Benson route and using a small tube amp with your SS Henriksen?

Speaker size depends on sound you're looking and need. 10's are punchy and cut thru in a band. 12's fuller and 15 is a lot of bottom, but needs more power to drive it and can be hard to hear if you sitting right next to it. Don't forget open back or closed.

A lot to consider.

[jazzfreak]

Thanks for you input

[marcwhy]

I have nice cabs by J Design Speaker Enclosures - Home , Forte Speakers - Guitar Speakers and Cabinets (new 1x10 coming tomorrow!!) and EarCandy Cabs (search for their stuff on reverb.com). As docbop pointed out, speaker size (and brand) will be a personal thing, but make sure watts/Ohms are consistent with the Jazzamp.

[Klatu]

When looking for an extension speaker, variables that I consider include the style of music to be played, ease of transport, and aesthetic quality. Since most of the music that I play is based on accentuating acoustic properties of instruments, I tend to choose speakers that reproduce the fullest frequency range in their class.

As for ease of transport, I have cabinets that are meant to stay in home and others that are smaller that are ideal for travel. My three extension cabinets include a 1x12 that I consider too large to carry around to gigs, a 2x8 that is ideal for both home and gig purposed, and a 1x6 that works really well for sound reinforcement both at home and at gigs. Were I to choose just one size for all uses, I'd choose the 2x8. It gets every bit as much clean volume as my 1x12 with just as much bass response.

Aesthetically, I'm not super picky; although since I use them all both at home and away, they need to be visually pleasing enough not to upset the wife. Three of my extension cabinets are by Earcandy cabs and feature wood finish on the fronts and backs with tolex sides. This results in attractive cabinets that blend in well with some of the wooden furniture in the living room.

I have a decent list of cabinet manufacturers that I'll try and post later tonight once I get home from work. Take care.

[oriv]

I think one of the Raezer's Edge cabs would be a great choice.

[Woody Sound]

I think one of the Raezer's Edge cabs would be a great choice.

The Raezer 12 ER-is my fave speaker for home. Archtop tone bliss.

[Longways to Go]

Those Ear Candy cabs are looking cool to me. Might have to pick up a 1x8 or 2x8. I assume they sound good? Also curious about what speakers . . .

[Danny W.]

The Raezer 12 ER-is my fave speaker for home. Archtop tone bliss.

An RE Stealth 12-ER has been my main speaker at home for a dozen years. I originally drove it with a Clarus head, but my current setup has gotten more elaborate:



That's a one-off RE Twin-8-Tower-ER on the left.

Danny W.

[cosmic gumbo]

I've used single unpowered 10" PA cabs with great success. They're mostly small and portable with a handle, have a bass port and a horn, making them very full range. Usually they put out almost as much low end as a 12" guitar cab, and can be set on floor vertical or horizontal, which can modify the response. They sound great and most people just assume they're guitar cabs. I've used EV, JBL, Kustom, Yamaha, none sounded bad.

I've used this cheap lil' guy for the last few years with a Deluxe Reverb or Carvin SX100 when I needed a bigger, fuller sound, which isn't often. Used in conjunction with the speakers in my combos, it changes the speaker load to 4 ohms, increasing the amps output wattage. YRMV

[marcwhy]

Those Ear Candy cabs are looking cool to me. Might have to pick up a 1x8 or 2x8. I assume they sound good? Also curious about what speakers . . .

The little ones are quite handy, and plenty loud (with the right speakers!). If you want a big sound, get the 2x8 (unloaded) and put Eminence Alpha or Beta 8's in it. My J Design is a custom 2x8, too (not listed on his site), with Eminence 820H speakers -- pretty loud for only 40W!

[KEOKI]

There is an interesting and relevant aspect of the OP's question. That of combining different sized speakers. I, and many others, have discovered that combining the Quilter MP 8 with the 12 ext cab has a synergistic effect on the tone. One that is so significant to me I seldom play without that combination. To explain further, the 8, the 8 using the 12 only and my MP 10 sound great. The 10 with the 12 ext cab is very very loud. But when you combine the 8 with the 12 something quite magic occurs. No one in the audience can tell the difference I am sure. But I do and that is important to me. Quilter uses Celestian speakers and when you view the frequency response graphs of the 8 and 12 they are quite different. If you have the luxury it might be interesting to explore different speaker size combinations.

[marcwhy]

+1 on Keoki's points.

One of my students has the Micro 8, which does sound nice. For fun, I brought one of my 2x8 extension cabs to his house, and the sound opened the whole room! Keoki's "exploring" idea is great.

[SierraTango]

I'm assuming you want a powered cab, Acoustic Image has some nice one, but very clean sounding.

Have you considered the Benson route and using a small tube amp with your SS Henriksen?

Speaker size depends on sound you're looking and need. 10's are punchy and cut thru in a band. 12's fuller and 15 is a lot of bottom, but needs more power to drive it and can be hard to hear if you sitting right next to it. Don't forget open back or closed.

A lot to consider.

DocBop brings up a good point. My rig is a Schertler Unico 185W biamped 8" woofer and 1" tweeter. I considered a extension speaker and tried a few, however the best results I've had to add some warmth to the rig has been lining out to a tube amp (in my case a Mesa Subway Rocket w/reverb) and getting a nice balance between to two. The Unico on it's own is a bit sterile sounding, but adding some tube tone is a great option. I didn't even know Benson did that until I read this thread.

[BradM]

I have a Henriksen ORIGINAL 2005 Jazz Amp with one 10" speaker. I met Bud at NAMM shortly before he passed away and procured this great little amp. I'm considering a Razers Edge. I play in a jazz combo with drums, bass, piano... My two main guitars are a 1976 Gibson Byrdland and a brand new Eastman AR503ce. I want to cut down on feedback and I need to get through this combo that gets loud sometimes. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

BTW, I have also been playing around with a Fender Blues Deluxe (made in Mexico) with all tone controls set to 0. Yep, 0. It works very well with the Eastman. I dab in a little bit of treble and it sounds really good. I might take both amps to the next gig.

Thanks to all of you for any suggestions.

Brad

[Alter]

I much prefer two amps, usually one small tube amp and one ss, but sometimes 2 ss amps, preferably one acoustic (full range), one electric.

I also have an original henriksen, sometimes I couple it with an aer, or a Princeton reverb, or a zt lunchbox. As long as there are two different sound sources you get good results. I use a lehle splitter to feed the two amps.

[BradM]

Thank you for responding. I'm going to have to investigate that zt lunchbox. Never heard of it. I get your point with the additional tube amp. I like the Fender, but I'm getting a hummmmm. That will be another project.

Brad

[mateo2006]

Those Ear Candy cabs are looking cool to me. Might have to pick up a 1x8 or 2x8. I assume they sound good? Also curious about what speakers . . .

There have been some pretty negative assertions out there on the web about Earcandy concerning people paying and not receiving their goods and about the tolex coming off within a week.

Perhaps these are no longer issues but one should do a google search first to hear the assertions made before jumping in.

[Headshot]

I've used single unpowered 10" PA cabs with great success. They're mostly small and portable with a handle, have a bass port and a horn, making them very full range. Usually they put out almost as much low end as a 12" guitar cab, and can be set on floor vertical or horizontal, which can modify the response. They sound great and most people just assume they're guitar cabs. I've used EV, JBL, Kustom, Yamaha, none sounded bad.

I've used this cheap lil' guy for the last few years with a Deluxe Reverb or Carvin SX100 when I needed a bigger, fuller sound, which isn't often. Used in conjunction with the speakers in my combos, it changes the speaker load to 4 ohms, increasing the amps output wattage. YRMV

I like this idea. I have a Peavey 10" subwoofer Sanctuary Series 400W passive speaker. It should be a nice cab for a future head.

[Stringswinger]

I use a Raezer's edge Stealth 10 ER with my Henriksen Blu for big venues.

A PERFECT combination.

[BradM]

Thank you. My first impulse is to go with the Razers Edge. Question to everyone: Is it safe to go from the line out from my Henriksen to the regular input jack on say a Fender or any amp? I figure it would be the same as running it into a PA.

Thanks,

Brad

[Danny W.]

Thank you. My first impulse is to go with the Razers Edge. Question to everyone: Is it safe to go from the line out from my Henriksen to the regular input jack on say a Fender or any amp? I figure it would be the same as running it into a PA.

Thanks,

Brad

If the amp has an effects loop, run it into the return or power-amp input. Instrument inputs are not typically comfortable with line-level signals, plus you don't need extra tone shaping. If you really want ot run into the instrument input, watch your levels carefully.

Danny W.

[jzucker]

if you can wait a few months, raezer's edge is coming out with some new cabinets using neo speakers and half open back that i'm sure will be amazing!

I'll be beta testing some soon.

[archtopeddy]

if you can wait a few months, raezer's edge is coming out with some new cabinets using neo speakers and half open back that i'm sure will be amazing!

I'll be beta testing some soon.

Looking forward to hearing your assessment. I use a Henriksen Bud and the Raezer's Edge NY8 ER (thanks to some great suggestions from group members here!), and it's a great combination -- easily keeps up with a band with drums, two electric guitars, electric bass, sax and vocals. It's a great size/weight to clean volume ratio. However, with the new Bud TEN, and maybe one fo the new Raezer's Edge cabs, there might be a new, more robust option coming just around the corner...

[BradM]

Thank you fort responding. I'm really at buying the Razers edge ER 10" Do any of you have any experience with the Earcandy speaker systems?